Utah woman shares how Tinder date picnic descended into unspeakable nightmare
A Utah woman shared her story of survival after going on a Tinder date picnic with a man described as a 'serial killer in the making.'
Hadlie Monroe matched with Kane Fairbanks on the dating app and talked for months before they met in person.
After meeting his parents and niece on their first date two days prior, Monroe said she felt comfortable meeting him for a second date in a secluded area of Mueller Park in Bountiful on May 12, 2022.
'It just felt like a very pretty area to have a picnic. I was like staying up until one, two, three in the morning just talking to him,' Monroe told KSL.
But the date took a dark turn when Fairbanks coerced her into his car around 6:30 p.m. and began stabbing her, reported Fox 13.
Hadlie Monroe (pictured) was stabbed by her Tinder date described as a 'serial killer in the making' while out on a picnic
Kane Fairbanks (pictured) pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Monroe and another woman
'I don't remember getting back in the car. All I remember is opening my eyes to him above me with a knife at my throat,' she said.
Monroe was able to fight back and escape the car. She ran to a group of people nearby, among whom were two nurses and an EMT that were able to provide her with first aid until an ambulance came.
'I remember turning around and seeing him standing there, just staring at me, covered in my blood,' she said. 'He was just so focused on me and so angry I had gotten away.'
Fairbank drove away from the area and attacked a second victim at random. The second woman was also able to fight back and witnesses helped provide her first aid.
Eventually, a Good Samaritan caught Fairbank and detained him until police arrived and arrested him.
'I've tried and tried to comb through every single interaction that I've had with him to see if there's just something that I missed,' Monroe said.
Monroe was able to fight back and escape the car. She ran to a group of people nearby who were able to provide first aid
'I think that's what terrifies me, is because he was so good at fooling me.'
Fairbank pleaded guilty attempted aggravated murder and a reduced count of attempted murder in January.
In June, he was sentenced to 15 years to life for the first charge and three years to life for the second, with the sentences ordered to run consecutively.
During her victim impact statement Monroe said she got 60 stitches in her face alone, staples on her head, and sutures in her side.
Prosecutors called Fairbank's 'a serial killer in the making,' according to the local news outlets.
Fairbank's was recorded admitting he planned to murder Monroe during his police interrogation.
'That's why I got Tinder,' he said. 'I could tell that she liked me and it would be easy to trick her. It's kind of a sexual thing.'
Disturbingly, his response to police asking if he would do anything differently was, 'I'd get a sharper knife.'
